In 2021, only the top three drivers scored points for the Sprint races and there were only a total of six points on offer; three for the winner, two for second and one for third. In 2022, the top eight will score points and that points total rises to 36. The winner will collect eight points, second place will score seven, with this continuing in descending order down to eighth (one point).
The points on offer means the Sprint is even more important in 2022.
Not only do more drivers – on top of battling for grid position for Sunday’s race – have a chance of points, but they can now take a total of 34 points over a weekend instead of the usual 26. Plus, if a driver wins all three Sprints in 2022, that almost adds up to a race win on its own (24). The 20 drivers start in the order they qualified on Friday evening and their finishing positions 100km (24 laps) later will be the positions they line up in for the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen started the Sprint race in Austria from pole position, followed by the two F1-75 cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, with George Russell in fourth for Mercedes. As the formation lap was underway, the tyre blankets were still on Fernando Alonso’s car while others start up. The Alpine driver was due to start eighth. There was more drama as Zhou pulled up right before the starting line. Max Verstappen led the grid to the starting line but Zhou Guanyu, due to start 18th, pulled up at the final corner and informed the Alfa Romeo team his engine “switched off”. He had to start from the pit-lane too.
Max Verstappen got away well and squeezed Charles to the inside! Carlos Sainz went around the outside of his team-mate into Turn Three but Charles Leclerc dived back down the inside into Turn Four. The Ferrari cars were fighting – and that gave Max Verstappen an early gap. Replays showed that Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly made contact into Turn 1. Hamilton was sandwiched between two cars and Gasly’s AlphaTauri was hit into the air and he falls back to 18th.
Carlos Sainz still had DRS on Charles and he has a little peak into Turn 3… and the Moneagsque nearly turned in on him. So nearly a disaster there for Ferrari, whose drivers were fighting fiercely for second and third place here. The next lap Carlos Sainz tried to go around the outside of Charles Leclerc at Turn 4 but the Monegasque – rather aggressively – closed the door and forces him wide.
Sergio Perez made light work of Mick Schumaacher and Kevin Magnussen, around the outside of Turn 3, as Ocon was the next driver up ahead of the Red Bull. After making up six places off the start, Sebastian Vettel was running last again after finding the gravel at Turn 6. Replays showed he made contact with Alex Albon, who understeered into the Aston Martin. A rather eventful race for Albon.
In the meanwhile, Max Verstappen was very comfortable in the lead. He leads by 2.2s from Charles Leclerc, with Carlos Sainz slipping back in the other Ferrari. George Russell was comfortably ahead of Sergio Perez in fourth. Mick Schumacher impressed with some great defending moves against the faster Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who was only able to get past in the final laps.
Max Verstappen therefore won the Sprint Race to claim the starting spot for tomorrow’s Austrian Grand Prix. The Ferrari F1-75 cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz came home second and third respectively and will again start behind the Dutchman on Sunday.
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